Problem: Write the following expression in its most factored form: $8x+2$
Answer: To factor a polynomial, you should first try to find the greatest common factor of all the terms. The factors of $8x$ are $1$ $2$ $4$ $8$ , and $x$ and the factors of $2$ are $1$ and $2$ The greatest common factor of $8x$ and $2$ is $2$ We can factor out the $2$ and put it before the parenthesis. If we divide each of the terms in the original expression by $2$ we get $\dfrac{8x}{2} = 4x$ and $\dfrac{2}{2} = 1$ So the factored expression is $2(4x + 1)$.